Master park plan includes trails

Lawrence Parks and Recreation officials unveiled a near-final version of the master plan for a proposed park near the corner of North Iowa Street and Peterson Road.

More than a dozen residents gathered Wednesday in neighboring Lawrence Heights Christian Church's fellowship hall to examine the plan and offer final input.

Ernie Shaw, the facilities and maintenance superintendent for the parks department, introduced the design that was drawn from public input on three concepts at a series of meetings in May.

"The Parks and Rec advisory board approved this," Shaw said. "Our next step is to make some of these detailed changes and leave as much open space and trees as possible."

Hallmark donated the park land to the city in two parcels, on either side of Peterson Road. The north side officially changed hands last month, allowing planners to incorporate the Peterson Road Park into the city's budget plan.

On the south side of the road, an athletic park will feature a half basketball court, a playground, a concrete pad for roller-hockey, an open field for soccer or baseball, parking and rest rooms.

The north side of the park will be more passive with a nature trail, a pond, wildflowers and a year-round shelter for social events.

Many of the attendees asked Shaw and planner C. L. Maurer of Landplan Engineering, Lawrence, about the roller-hockey rink and the walking trails.

The two expect the master plan to be complete by the fall. Shaw hopes to complete the park within the next five years as part of the city's master parks plan.

Maurer said after making minor changes from Wednesday's meeting to the plan, he will draw up a budget for Shaw.

There is no definitive date for the park's opening, though estimates are within the next five years.

"It goes next to the Parks and Recreation director, then to the city manager," Shaw said. "I just wish we could do this tomorrow."